The Research Development Core will bring new investigators into the NIEHS Center for Neurodegeneration Science (CMS) team, studying in particular environmental stressors contributing to Parkinson's disease, by offering support for the initial development of novel lines of investigation that complement the ongoing research projects of this Center. Below, we describe the process of soliciting, reviewing, and awarding and monitoring the progress of these pilot projects. Importantly, to be eligible to obtain one of these pilot awards, the applicant will have no current affiliation with the proposed NIEHS Center. We plan to award three grants per annum, each at $25,000 for a total of $75,000 as suggested in the RFA. We will particularly embrace promising new directions of junior trainees as well as established faculty who wish to enter this field in order to link environmental sciences with neurodegenerative conditions, particularly with the Parkinson's disease (PD) focus proposed for this Center. We believe that the multidisciplinary research environment, well-organized and highly integrated infrastructure, and the rich longitudinal specimen and human data bank found in Core E (Neuropathology/Behavior Core) will foster services that cannot be found anywhere else in Southern California, creating an inviting environment for investigators to enter the field. The new investigators will participate in our weekly laboratory meetings and monthly sessions for the entire Center, as described in detail in the grant Introduction and in Core A (Administrative Core).